At A Distance
by flipomatic
Summary: Satsuki always tried to keep a distance between herself and Nonon, sometimes even pulling away completely. But no matter how hard she tried to rise above Nonon's level and leave her behind, Nonon was always able to catch back up.
1. Skyscraper In Your Mind

Author Note: Hello this is my first attempt at SatsuNon, but I think it'll go well. There are going to be four or five chapters to this fic, all varying in length and taking place at different times during the show.

* * *

At five years old Nonon would claim to anyone who asked that Satsuki was her best friend. After all, they had known each other practically since they were born. However, not all of this was entirely true.

The pair did spend a lot of time together, but that was only because of the allegiance between their families. The Jakuzure family and the Kiryuin family had been business partners for years, much longer than Nonon had been alive.

Their friendship would've worked out well if Nonon hadn't found Satsuki unbelievably boring. The other girl was just so cheerful and _normal_, she got on Nonon's nerves. But her parents told her to keep spending time with Satsuki, so she put on a cute smile and stuck with it.

This went on until one day at school when everything changed.

The day started out relatively normal, except for the fact that Satsuki had been oddly quiet that morning. She sat through the kindergarten classes with a small frown etched on her face, her forehead wrinkling in a way uncommon for anyone under the age of 40. Nonon assumed her friend just hadn't slept well or maybe she missed breakfast. She didn't let it bother her because she really didn't care.

After eating lunch, which Satsuki barely touched, the kids were allowed to go outside for recess. Nonon partook in her favorite hobby; ordering the other children to do things.

"You know, I sure would like a castle…" All Nonon had to do was pose a little bit, and the suckers in her class got straight to work. They couldn't build a real castle, so they built one out of sand instead. It took up the entire sandbox, and Nonon clapped as the other kids pointed at it.

"This sandbox belongs to me!" she asserted, striking another pose. "I won't let the other kids use it." She turned to Satsuki, who maintained her frowning expression. "Except for you, Satsuki! We've been best friends since forever! I'll make a castle for you, too!" Of course, she meant the other children would make it, but that's beside the point.

"No." Satsuki shook her head, much to Nonon's surprise. "My sand is right here." She held out her right hand, which contained a small pile of sand. It was barely enough to fill her palm.

"Is that all?" Nonon leaned over it, squinting at the unimpressive pile. She couldn't think of anything to build with that small amount of sand.

"This sand was left over from that." Satsuki turned towards outside the school grounds. A tall skyscraper could be seen in the distance. "My sand became concrete and was transformed into that skyscraper." Her voice fluctuated slightly as she continued speaking. "From the top, even a child can look down on any adult."

Nonon didn't have time to think about how strange that statement was before a blast of wind blew around the pair, forcing her to duck for cover. She hid her head under her arms, trying to avoid the fierce gusts. The sand castle was unable to resist the winds and collapsed back to its original form. Some of the sand blew in their direction, getting in Nonon's eyes in the process.

"A castle that vanishes at the first gust of wind is worthless." Satsuki turned to her friend, unbothered by the grains of sand in the air. "Don't you agree, Nonon?"

"But all buildings fall down eventually!" Nonon responded, still trying to rub sand out of her eyes. A bright light suddenly shone from above, hindering her progress in seeing again. She was barely able to look up and see Satsuki perched on top of the playground.

"Then you should build it inside your mind!" Satsuki looked different, more determined than she ever had before. "A skyscraper built within your mind will never fall down."

Nonon could only stare up in stunned silence, wondering what the heck happened to the Satsuki she knew yesterday. This couldn't possibly be the same person, but it was. Something had changed; something that made her more… intriguing.

But just having that small bit of sand and one tall building could get awfully lonely. Nonon didn't want her to be alone; she wanted to be there to see who this new person would grow into. Who really was Kiryuin Satsuki?

It only took Nonon a few seconds to climb to the top of the playground and knock the sand out of Satsuki's hand. The dark haired girl's expression morphed into one of shock.

"You don't need any dumb sand! I'll hold your hand! For ever and ever!" She promised to follow her, to watch as she grew, and to be a way better companion than that dumb sand.

After a moment of staring at their conjoined hands, Satsuki nodded once and put her other hand in with the others. She smiled softly for the first time all day.

Instead of annoying Nonon, like it used to, Satsuki's smile filled her with warmth. She wondered if this was what having friends actually felt like.

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End Note: So yeah this is chapter one, chapter two should be coming next week. Thanks for reading.


	2. Junior High

Author Note: I really like the ideas involved in this chapter, but I'm not sure I did it justice. This one is rated T for swearing.

* * *

Nonon was angry. No, angry wasn't a good word. She didn't really know how to feel; it was kind of a whole jumble of angry and sad and lonely and confused all at the same time.

She just finished her first day of junior high, which should've been an exciting day. It would've been if not for the absence of one important person.

Satsuki hadn't been in any of Nonon's classes and didn't answer her phone when she called. She went to the main office to inquire about Satsuki's whereabouts, but they had no record of her even attending the school.

It seemed she'd been abandoned.

Her first reaction was disbelief. Satsuki said she'd be going to this school and that they'd be in the same class together, there was no way that wasn't true. But the office insisted that Satsuki declined to attend their school. They didn't understand why; their junior high school was the best one in Japan. They also didn't know where the other girl was enrolled instead and threw Nonon out of the office for asking over and over again.

Her second reaction was to feel shocked. She stumbled into a wall outside the office, ignoring the stares of her fellow students. How could this happen? Did Satsuki not want to be friends anymore? Was this what a bad breakup felt like? The mere thought was depressing. Nonon even had a good idea for a new song that would express the feeling, but that would have to wait for a different time.

The third reaction Nonon had was to lash out in pure rage. How dare Satsuki leave her behind like this!? When she found her she was gonna make her pay! She wasn't sure how, but she was definitely going to do it. Satsuki wouldn't get away with this!

With that thought in mind, Nonon set out for the Kiryuin mansion. Someone there would certainly be able to tell her where to find the missing girl. The Jakuzure family driver was able to take her there, and when she arrived she rang the doorbell impatiently. Much to her surprise, Ragyou opened the door.

"Jakuzure." Her hair glowed like a rainbow as she looked down at the pre-teen girl with veiled disdain. "What can I do for you?"

Nonon decided to play it cool. "Satsuki didn't come to school today, so I got worried." She put on her best concerned expression. "Is she okay?" Hopefully that would get Ragyou to spill the beans, though Nonon was still hoping it wasn't true.

"O, she didn't tell you?" The corner of Ragyou's mouth lifted slightly. "Last week she decided to transfer schools." The older womans smile grew as she hammered the final nails into Nonon's optimism. Her anger faded into one final emotion, which was debilitating depression.

She'd truly been abandoned; thrown away like a handful of sand. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to make a fool of her in front of Satsuki's mother. Oh well, not like it mattered anymore.

"I really am surprised she didn't tell you." Ragyou didn't seem bothered by the prospect of tears. "You could always transfer too, you know."

"Really?" It was an interesting idea, but a risky one. Finding Satsuki was worth the risk. "How do I do that?"

"I'll help you." Ragyou stepped back and gestured into the mansion. "Come on in."

* * *

After only a week of junior high, Satsuki was almost completely used to it. The school had fallen into her control quickly, and the classwork was only a little harder than the year before.

Not having Nonon around would take getting used to, but it was for the best. Nonon wanted to be a musician; she didn't need to get involved with the battle against Ragyou. She would be safer if she never knew.

At least, that's what Satsuki told herself. The only way to ensure Nonon's safety would be if Satsuki stopped talking to her or seeing her at all. Satsuki was resolved to tough it out, but it was hard.

Nonon was her only friend. They hung out all the time, had sleepovers, talked about stuff, went for walks, and did lots of other things. Satsuki had turned to her right the other day, about to say something to Nonon, but stopped dead halfway through her sentence.

Nonon wasn't there and would never be there again.

She kept reminding herself that this was for Nonon's own good, and that was how it should be. The thought sent pangs of loneliness through her soul.

The Monday after the first weekend of the school year the teacher announced that they'd be receiving a transfer student. Satsuki fought to keep a straight face as the new student walked in the door.

"My name is Jakuzure Nonon, it's nice to meet you." She introduced herself in a standard way. Nonon didn't look in Satsuki's direction, instead keeping her eyes straight ahead.

The teacher assigned her a seat on the other side of the room from Satsuki, who'd lost her battle with composure and was now openly gaping. She couldn't believe it. How did Nonon find her? Why was she here? What was going to happen now? Even through her surprise and fear Satsuki still felt a surge of happiness. Despite her efforts to cover her tracks, Nonon had still found her.

For some reason Nonon wouldn't make eye contact with her, but that could just be for appearances. As class continued on, Satsuki felt a resurgence of the conflicted feelings she'd suffered from all summer. Hadn't she done this to keep Nonon safe? And now Nonon was here, putting herself directly in the line of fire.

Before Satsuki knew it lunch time arrived. She approached Nonon's desk, where the pink haired girl was sorting through some papers.

"Jakuzure." Satsuki couldn't think of anything else to say, which was strange for her.

"Have we met?" Nonon made a confused expression, but something was off. As she finally made eye contact, Satsuki noticed that her eyes glinted with anger.

"I…" Why couldn't she say something? What was happening to her? "We…" Nope, she couldn't do it. How do you go about telling someone who you abandoned that you only did it for their own safety and they really need to go back? It was especially hard if that person was so angry they were pretending not to know you. Satsuki didn't even know where to start.

"I gotta go." Nonon sidled out of her desk seat. "Later." She walked away stiffly and didn't look back. Satsuki watched her go while cursing her poor relationship skills. After gathering up her school bag Satsuki headed for the most comforting place in the school.

There wasn't anybody on the roof when she got there, which suited her just fine. It was best to be alone anyway. She sat down near the fence, eating the lunch she packed herself in peace.

Satsuki didn't go back to class that day, taking some time to think things through instead. The other girl had every right to be angry and ignore her, but why would she transfer schools to do that? It didn't make sense to Satsuki, but as long as Nonon kept her distance everything would be fine. She didn't realize how long she'd been brooding until a small voice interrupted her silence.

"I know I'd find you up here." Nonon came out from the stairwell, hands tucked sheepishly behind her back.

"You know who I am now?" Satsuki couldn't help but bite back.

"I was… angry." Nonon scuffed one shoe on the cement. "But it felt wrong. I couldn't do it."

Satsuki stood up, turning towards her friend. "Are you still angry?"

"A little." Nonon admitted. "But mostly I'm confused." She clenched both of her fists. "Why did you leave me behind?" The young girl stood tall despite her trembling lower lip.

Satsuki hesitated, wondering what to tell her. "It's best this way." Was what she settled on. The less Nonon knew the better. In fact, if Satsuki could convince her to transfer schools that would be the best option.

"I don't believe that." Nonon shook her head vigorously. "How is this the best!?"

"It's complicated." Satsuki admitted before changing the subject. "How did you find me here?"

"Your Mom told me."

A chill ran down Satsuki's spine. Well fuck, she thought to herself, fuck fuck fuck. She wouldn't normally swear but this occasion seemed appropriate. Nonon had been with Ragyou. What had her mother said to the girl? What had she done? When Satsuki turned back Nonon was still talking.

"And then she helped me transfer here, which was kind of nice I guess." She walked over to Satsuki with a worried expression. "Are you alright? You look pale." She reached one hand to put it on Satsuki's forehead, but the other girl swatted it away.

"You should transfer back." Satsuki turned her back to Nonon. "It's not safe here."

"I don't care!" Nonon shouted, wiping one hand over her eyes. "I promised that I'd stay by your side forever. Does that mean nothing to you!? Do I…" Nonon hiccupped once as she struggled for breath. "Please." Her voice cracked. "Don't shut me out." Her hands trembled as she grabbed one of Satsuki's hands.

What a hypocrite I am, Satsuki thought to herself. Preaching about resolve one day and caving in the next.

"I'm sorry." Satsuki could hear her own resolve shattering as she turned to face Nonon. "But you have to know that being by my side will be dangerous."

"Then I'll learn to fight!" Nonon nodded enthusiastically. "I'm already pretty good with a dagger."

If not for the seriousness of the situation, Satsuki would've smiled. "We've got a lot to talk about then. The first thing is, you should really stay away from my Mother."

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End Note: Thanks for reading. Please review if you have something to say. Or don't. It's up to you.


	3. Honnouji Academy

Author Note: There is no escape from Satsunon. Thank you Baxter54132 and dragonball256 for reviewing the last chapter, you guys are awesome.

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At the beginning of her third year of Junior High School, Satsuki started the process of building Honnouji Academy. She hired a few of the best architects in the country to design it, which allowed her to leave most of the decisions in their hands. She made only a few requests, which were easily accommodated.

When the designs were finished, the architects needed Satsuki to come in and approve them. Unfortunately she couldn't make it that day. Some blue haired dog was busy hacking into her computer system, so she sent Nonon instead.

Nonon didn't really know that much about building things, but she agreed to go anyway. All she had to do was approve the plans, anybody could do that.

As it turned out, one of the architects on the project was insistent on telling her about every single aspect of the building before she could sign off on it. All of the parts seemed fine to her, even with her low level of expertise, except for one particular room.

"There's going to be an observation room at the top of the tower." The architect drawled, pointing to a small space marked for the room. It was at the very top of the school building, huddling right above everything.

"An observation room?" Nonon hadn't been informed of such a thing, or any other things for that matter. "For who?"

"Lady Satsuki requested it." He seemed surprised that Nonon cared about this one little detail. "It'll have glass windows all around and room for a chair so she can look out over the school."

"Where's my couch gonna go?" Nonon measured the room with her fingers, frowning at its small size.

"W-what do you mean?" The architect cowered under Nonon's glare. He wondered what was with this kid; why did she care about some observatory anyway?

"The room is too small, my couch won't fit." She crossed her arms, unwilling to compromise on the issue. "You need to make it bigger."

"But Lady Satsuki wanted..." He didn't get to finish that sentence.

"I speak for Satsuki." Even though she stood at only four and a half feet tall, the small girl seemed to tower over the architect. "Fix it."

"Yes Ma'am." The architect grabbed a pencil and quickly sketched out a dome like structure where the room was. "How about something like this?"

"Much better." Nonon nodded once. "Everything else is fine; you can start construction when you're ready." She flashed a peace sign, smirking at the older man.

"We'll start next week."

The architect watched as the teenager walked away, shaking his head when she turned the corner. Kids these days, he thought, with their crazy pink hair and their strange building requests.

* * *

A few months later Satsuki, Nonon, and Gamagoori went to check on construction. Gamagoori jumped up on the framework, checking it for stability. If it could hold his weight then it could hold anything. Satsuki and Nonon checked in with the construction workers on the ground level.

One of the workers was telling the pair about the current construction schedule when Satsuki noticed the changes made to the tower design.

"What's happened to the tower?" She inquired politely. "It didn't look like that in the original plans."

"A change was made just before construction began." The worker checked the blueprints, squinting at the design. "It was requested by Ms. Jakuzure."

Satsuki turned her scrutiny to Nonon. "Why?" One word could weigh so much, Nonon thought to herself as she tried to figure out what to say.

"There was no room up there for your advisors." _There was_ _no room for me_, was what went unsaid. _How can I see from the same height as you if I'm not by your side?_ "So I told them to make it bigger." Nonon wasn't ashamed of her actions and held her chin up high.

As Satsuki got older she became better and better at hiding her emotions. Even after years of facial suppression, a hint of surprise still showed on her face. She could hear what Nonon wasn't saying the same way Nonon could see the surprise she tried to hide.

It might be nice to have some company at the top.

"Very well." Satsuki smiled softly. "We'll have to ensure your couch makes it up there."

Nonon couldn't help but smile back. "Yeah."

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End Note: Thanks for reading.


	4. Sake Cup Shards

Author Note: You wanted angst, here's some angst.

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After smashing their sake cups on the floor, the elite four didn't bother cleaning them up. To pick up the shards would make the act meaningless; it would be like spitting in the face of their resolve. Instead they cleared out, heading off in different directions to contemplate what the next day would bring.

Satsuki ended up climbing up to the observation room, taking one last chance to look out at everything she built. She built this school with her own hands to defeat Ragyou, and that's exactly what she planned to do.

She stood near her throne in the center of the room, shrouded in the darkness of night. Satsuki heard light footsteps coming from the door and didn't need to look to know who it was. Nonon stopped only a few feet away, a shaft of moonlight washing over her. The pair stood in silence for a moment, pondering on the day to come.

"Jakuzure." Satsuki broke the silence, and her powerful voice echoed through the empty space.

"Yes, Lady Satsuki?" Nonon was a little confused by the use of her surname, but wasn't going to challenge Satsuki about it on a night like tonight.

"Why are you still here?" Though Nonon couldn't see Satsuki's face in the dark, the black haired woman sounded serious. It stung a little.

"What do you mean?" Nonon tilted her head slightly, fighting the urge to fiddle with her fingers.

"Tomorrow we might all die. You are the only person at this academy who is here of their own free will. Why are you still here?" Satsuki repeated the question, this time with a hint of steel in her tone.

It stunned Nonon, shaking her to the core. Did Satsuki not want her here? After all this time together she still needed to ask that question. She couldn't see the bond between them of loyalty and trust and friendship and what did she think forever meant anyway? Not only when convenient, that's for sure. These thoughts flashed through Nonon's mind as she struggled to come up with a response.

Before she could say anything Satsuki spoke again. "It's not too late to escape."

With that statement Satsuki showed her metaphorical hand, though Nonon couldn't see it. Though she'd been in similar situations before, she still didn't have a grasp of what was actually going on. All she knew was that Satsuki was pushing her away again, and she wasn't gonna put up with that crap.

"Never" Nonon steeled herself as she responded. "I will never run away." She took one step forward, inching into the darkness. "I know what you're gonna say. 'It's dangerous' and 'you might die'. But so what!" Nonon shifted her other foot into the shadows and lifted her chin proudly. "You think I'd run and let you face Ragyou alone? You're wrong! I don't care that I might die. If it means fighting by your side, I'd gladly die for you, Satsuki!" Her cheeks flushed red as she practically shouted in frustration.

"I need you to live." Satsuki's voice wavered unusually, displaying a rare instance of vulnerability. She pretended her hands weren't trembling as she stood stock still. There was more she could add, but couldn't actually bring herself to say any of it.

Nonon moved fully into the shadows, closing the distance between herself and Satsuki in a few short strides. She intertwined her fingers with Satsuki's, looking up at the taller woman's face. Ever since graduating Junior High the pair had stopped physically holding hands. People (Inumuta) were starting to gossip, as much as anybody could gossip about the invincible teen who ruled their school. So Nonon let it go. But to return to that gesture now just felt right somehow. She helped settle the shaking in Satsuki's digits

"I guess I can't die then." Nonon's heart warmed despite the severity of the conversation. "But that means you'll have to live too."

"Indeed." For Satsuki, Nonon's hands were the only warm point in the room. She wondered if this would be a good moment to kiss the shorter woman, but decided against it. She wasn't sure she could handle the rejection that was certain to follow.

"Then that settles it." Nonon released Satsuki with a small grin. She spun on her heel and started walking towards the door. "Better get some rest; it's gonna be a long day tomorrow."

"Goodnight."

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End Note: I'm not even sure if I like this, but oh well it's done.


	5. Sunset

Author Note: This is the last chapter of this story. I've had a lot of fun writing it. Thank you everybody who read along the way. This takes place after the ova.

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As the boat puttered away from the sinking academy, Nonon could feel Hououmaru's stare on her. The fibered woman hadn't said anything since Satsuki cut off her hair, and was instead glaring at Nonon in silence. The sunset framed the boat in a golden halo.

"What!?" Nonon snapped, unable to take the silence any longer.

"I feel a little foolish." Hououmaru shook her head. "It was so obvious."

"What are you talking about?" Nonon crossed her arms, glancing over at Satsuki for support. The taller woman stood at the bow of the boat, faced firmly towards the front. She didn't notice her friends request for assistance.

Instead of answering the question, Hououmaru jumped into a story. "Do you remember when you started junior high?" Nonon nodded slightly as the older woman spoke. "How you stopped by Ragyou's house to look for Satsuki." If Hououmaru had still been wearing her sunglasses she would've adjusted them for dramatic effect. "Ragyou told me, that day, that we should kill you. She thought you would make a good example to keep Satsuki in line."

"T-that's ridiculous." Nonon spluttered. It was difficult to keep the pink off her cheeks. Even Ragyou could see her crush on Satsuki; it was a little embarrassing.

"That's what I said." The corner of Hououmaru's mouth curled up slightly. "We needed the alliance with the Jakuzure family more than we needed to bring Satsuki back into line."

Satsuki turned around at this and stepped down from the front of the boat. She'd clearly been listening to the conversation behind her.

"I would've only betrayed you sooner." Short hair didn't lessen the strength of Satsuki's glare.

"I think Ragyou knew that, at some level." Hououmaru shrugged. "Since she didn't end up going through with it."

Nonon scoffed. "Who says she woulda been able to off me anyway?" She raised both her fists in a mock boxing stance. "I could take her!" This assertion was met with silence. Hououmaru just shook her head, but Satsuki actually smiled a bit. Nonon always had a way of brightening her day.

Ragyou had been an indomitable presence in her life. Now that she was gone Satsuki was no longer afraid of being caught smiling. She didn't have to live in fear any longer.

With the conversation dead, it wasn't long before the boat reached land. The student driving it was the first to leave, pretending his knees weren't shaking as he stumbled away. Hououmaru left almost immediately after; she could tell when two people needed to be alone.

"So what now?" Nonon asked as soon as Hououmaru was out of earshot.

"We've graduated." Satsuki kept her gaze fixed somewhere over Nonon's head. "We just go into the world."

"That's not what I meant." Nonon scowled as she craned her neck up in a familiar position. "What are _you_ going to do?"

"Take over Revocs, probably. With their last CEO burn up in the atmosphere they're going to need a new leader." Satsuki's hands twitched as if to hold the point of a sword against the ground. "I will rebuild it stronger than it was before." Her gaze remained off in the distance. "What about you?"

"I got into a music college in Tokyo." It was pretty close to where they were now. "Only part time though. I'm also taking over a part of Jakuzure shipping. I believe it deals in… clothing."

Satsuki's eyes widened almost imperceptibly as her eyes shifted down to meet Nonon's. She recovered immediately. "Well, I guess you're going to need some goods to ship then."

"Our biggest customer did just turn out to be an alien." Nonon chuckled.

"Revocs is always looking to form partnerships." Satsuki stretched one hand towards Nonon, shrinking the gap between them with one motion.

"Glad to do business with you." The pink haired teen accepted the handshake. Satsuki's hand felt rough against her own, calloused from holding a sword. This must be what it felt like to stand at the same level.

"I warn you though, we're gonna have to see each other all the time." Nonon teased, smirking at her friend.

"I always make time for my partners." Satsuki seemed amused.

Their contact morphed from handshaking to something that resembled handholding.

"I look forward to it." Nonon's voice softened, and she reached out to put her other hand on Satsuki's. "And perhaps." The flush returned to her face. "We can spend some time together outside of work as well. We could hang out, and go to the movies, and do all the stuff we never had time for during high school." And maybe, someday, we could date, was what Nonon left unsaid.

"I would like that very much." Satsuki smiled radiated with affection for the short teen. It was finally their turn to start over and build their relationship from the ground up. There were no more heights to look down from or distances to span. It was just two girls with one friendship who were prepared to take on the world. Satsuki wouldn't complain if it grew into something more, but for now this was fine.

The sun set in the distance, getting close to dipping below the horizon. It highlighted the form of two teens holding hands in a boat. This wasn't the end, but instead the beginning of the rest of their lives together.

* * *

End Note: Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.


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